Business Development Associate at Pula
About Pula:
We are an insuretech and data services firm that provides
agriculture insurance design and execution services, specializing in
index-based insurance and is backed by top-tier VC investors who have invested
more than $25 million in the business. Since 2015 we have provided climate
insurance to 22 million smallholder farmers, 41% of which were women
across 19 markets in Africa and Asia who pay an average of $6.8 per season to
insure their crops. So far, we’ve unlocked over $2.22 billion of capital
from local and international insurance markets for climate risks since we
started in 2015 and paid out $40.8 million to our client farmers.
Pula is a fast-paced company, constantly adapting to new
opportunities and challenges. We are made up of a high-performance,
multi-cultural team. We expect our team to value performance, results,
and professionalism.
At Pula, our culture is defined by our:
- Obsession
with results: We are responsible for our future and therefore we
get things done!
- Ability
to connect the Dots: We continuously identify different customer
needs & business problems and build solutions that deliver value.
- Our
Can-do Attitude! We dare to do things differently to make things
work.
- Ability
to have each other’s back: We look out for each other & we
share high quality, timely feedback that makes us better.
Responsibilities
- Lead
Generation and Outreach:
- Identify
and qualify potential clients through research, industry events, inbound
leads, referrals, and market activity.
- Conduct
outreach via email, phone, and meetings to introduce Pula’s solutions.
- Maintain
consistent weekly activity targets to support pipeline growth.
- Track
tender websites and identifying potential opportunities for the relevant
teams
- Client-Facing
Document Preparation:
- Proposal
writing –
- Co-develop
proposal concepts through understanding and researching company
experience, ecosystem trends, and innovative solutions.
- Write
and provide quality control for concept notes, proposals, and
tender responses.
- Prepare
templated pitch decks, concept notes, and proposals with guidance from
the team
- Marketing
Material Development: Coordinate the creation and
improvement of sales and marketing materials, such as brochures and
presentations to support business development efforts
- Client
Relations Support
- Attend
introductory meetings alongside senior commercial managers.
- Manage
follow-up actions, client requests, and general communication.
- Build
rapport with operational and technical teams supporting the client.
- Attend
relevant workshops, conferences, and networking events to build
relationships.
- Market
Intelligence
- Gather
insights on competitors, partners, and emerging opportunities.
- Track
key industry developments and report trends to the commercial team.
- Knowledge
Management:
- Manage
database of P&C knowledge to improve communication efficiency across
the team and institutional knowledge.
- Keep
CRM entries updated with accurate contact details, meeting notes, and
pipeline stages.
- Internal
Coordination:
- Work
closely with marketing, operations, and product teams to align on
commercial priorities.
- Support
weekly team check-ins with updated activity reports.
What you need to be successful:
- You
are an effective communicator with strong writing skills, capable of
synthesizing information, drafting compelling proposals, and communicating
ideas across diverse platforms.
- You
are energized by networking events and thrive at building rapport and
trust with partners.
- Experience
working with diverse actors from development, private sector, and the
government. You listen and understand different perspectives and can
connect the dots to build consensus.
- Comfort
working in fast-paced and ambiguous environments.
- You
are meticulous and highly organized in planning, executing, and monitoring
multiple proposals under tight deadlines.
- You
are a team player, you are able to get buy-in, input, and approval across
internal teams as needed for proposals.
- You
are driven by impact. You are motivated by Pula’s goal of empowering
smallholder farmers.
Qualifications:
- University
degree with First Class or Upper Second honors
- 3-5
years of experience in business development, partner management,
consulting, or related fields.
- Experience
in writing proposals, concept notes, and creating budgets in response to
tenders.
- Understanding
of agriculture and/or fintech sectors.
- Strong
interpersonal skills, high motivation, ownership, and willingness to
learn.
- Experience
with Google suites, Excel, and CRM tools.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Advanced
qualifications or degree in Development, Agriculture Economics, Sociology,
or related field.
- Project
management experience
- Experience
working in a startup or growth environment
Core Competencies:
- Project
Management: Strong organizational skills and the ability to
manage complex, multi-faceted projects effectively.
- Communication
Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for
interacting with various stakeholders and ensuring clarity in
documentation.
- Analytical
Skills: Ability to track, analyze, and report on
performance, leveraging data for insights.
- Tech
Savviness: Proficient in using digital tools (CRMs) for pipeline
management to enhance team performance and operational
efficiency.
- Planning
and Coordination: Exceptional planning skills for managing
fast-paced and changing logistics and activities.
Behavioural Attributes:
- Proactive
and Solutions-Oriented: Always looking ahead to anticipate issues
and resolve them creatively.
- Detail-Oriented: Maintains
high accuracy in work, ensuring quality and reliability in all
deliverables.
- Independent
and Reliable: Works autonomously with a strong sense of
ownership and accountability for tasks.
- Customer-Focused: Demonstrates
a professional attitude and approach in serving both internal teams
and external clients.
- Relationship
Builder: Establishes strong working relationships with
stakeholders, anticipating their needs and challenges
effectively.
- Fast
learner: Demonstrates the ability to quickly absorb and apply new
information, adapting to changing circumstances and challenges with
agility and confidence.
What Pula will bring to the table:
- Your
work matters: At Pula, you’ll shape systems that give millions of
smallholder farmers access to insurance for the first time. You’ll join a
team that has already reached over 19 million farmers across Africa and
Asia, and you’ll directly contribute to scaling this impact even further.
- Career
development: You’ll be working in a high-performance environment
with strong mentorship and leadership that values transparency, execution,
and personal growth. As we enter our next phase of accelerated expansion,
you’ll naturally gain opportunities to take on new responsibilities and
grow your career.
- Global
recognition: Backed by top global investors and
foundations; Pula is a solid, well-funded organization. Our work is
recognized globally (from winning the Singapore FinTech Festival Award to
being featured in The Economist and TED Talks) and you’ll be part of
a brand that is respected in the industry.
- Purpose
with Rewards: Few opportunities combine career advancement
with genuine purpose. At Pula, your work directly contributes to financial
security for farmers in emerging markets, while also offering competitive
pay, performance incentives, and an employee share option plan (ESOP) with
equity upside.
Data Analyst Intern at Pula
As a Data Analyst Intern at Pula, you will play a crucial
role in supporting the Analytics & Insights team by ensuring data
management and analysis, problem identification, resolution, and the
implementation of department strategies. We are looking for a highly motivated
and data-driven individual with strong documentation and project management
skills, capable of seamlessly transitioning between strategic planning and
hands-on execution.
Key Responsibilities
- Conduct
data quality checks following standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Provide
support to the support desk and field staff when required, ensuring
effective communication.
- Utilize
data analytics and project knowledge to identify risks and issues within
projects.
- Keep
the manager informed by providing regular daily, weekly, and ad-hoc
updates.
- Propose
potential solutions to address problems encountered in the field.
- Draft
training materials, protocols, and other necessary documents as needed.
- Utilize
designated tools and software proficiently as per project requirements.
- Demonstrate
honesty and transparency in all aspects of work.
- Emphasize
direct and open communication to address problems and provide feedback
constructively.
- Determine
appropriate methods for data quality checks, data analysis, and operations
assessment.
- Identify
gaps in current data quality check SOPs and suggest improvements.
- Evaluate
the effectiveness of newly implemented processes.
- Document
findings, prepare reports, and make recommendations based on analysis.
Who you are
- Complete
Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Agricultural Economics,
Agribusiness Management, GeoInformatics or Information Systems is
required.
- Minimum
of 1 year of experience in a fast-paced data environment is an added
advantage.
- Proficiency
in specialized statistical analysis software and data visualization tools
like Power BI or similar platforms.
- Proficiency
in Python and R is a must. Knowledge of SQL is also preferred
- Ability
to communicate complex information effectively through clear writing and
excellent verbal communication skills.
- Capable
of transforming technical data into presentations for diverse audiences.
- Skilled
in collaborating with diverse groups, partners, and colleagues,
demonstrating a strong team spirit.
- Self-driven,
able to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Efficiently
handle multiple tasks, prioritize work, and meet deadlines effectively.